#52: Why Job Targets Matter and How to Identify Them

2022-06-16

Not every employer with an HR job is going to be one that you should be pursuing. That’s right, I said it. You should not be applying for every single HR job you see posted. You see, in the same way an employer will target certain job candidates so that there is a higher possibility of a successful match, you don’t want to apply to every employer because when you target your choices you increase the chances that there will be a successful match. It takes a lot of effort and energy, emotional and otherwise, to put together your application for a job - any job! So why would you put that effort int...

Not every employer with an HR job is going to be one that you should be pursuing. That’s right, I said it. You should not be applying for every single HR job you see posted.

You see, in the same way an employer will target certain job candidates so that there is a higher possibility of a successful match, you don’t want to apply to every employer because when you target your choices you increase the chances that there will be a successful match. It takes a lot of effort and energy, emotional and otherwise, to put together your application for a job - any job! So why would you put that effort into applying for a job that is not going to be a match?

In this episode I am explaining why I think targeting your job search to a more narrow list of employers, roles and industries is a good idea and I share two methods to help you identify your job targets. You may end up with more than one job target, but by narrowing this list you are going to more quickly move from being a job seeker to a job offer. And that, is a very good thing!

Summary of Key Points in this Episode:

Identifying job targets are important for three key reasons:
- Going through the exercises to identify job targets helps you get to know yourself better and this is an important part of the job seeking process.
- It will make it easier to make connections and build relationships which is critical to career and job search success.
- It will make your job search and the selection process a lot easier!
There are two process you can use to help you identify your job targets.
- Visioning exercises (find a quiet place and grab a pen and notebook)
- 5 elements method (you still probably need a quiet place and you definitely need to write some thoughts down)

This episode provides a couple of practical exercises, but may require you to pause, think and write in order to get the most out of it so I recommend you listen to it once all the way through (its only 20 minutes!) and then set yourself up at a desk to do the exercises and pause the audio when you need to.

Helpful links in this episode:

Episode 5: Be Prepared and Ace the Interview
Episode 41: Prepare for your HR Job Search
Episode 3: How Your Values Impact Your Career and Job Search
Episode 8: The Importance of Making Connections
Sign up for the Newsletter to get notified of the HRCA Launch and remember your discount code HRMENTORPOD

If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms: